


Something In Common

by SardonicShipper



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Women of Supernatural, mentions of child death, spoilers up to Hibbing 911
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2014-12-26
Packaged: 2018-03-03 16:04:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2856851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SardonicShipper/pseuds/SardonicShipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tamara gets a Christmas dinner invitation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something In Common

"Pass the peas…"

Those were the first words Tamara said all night. She wasn’t really sure why she was here…she didn’t know either of these women. Her instincts had told her they were good people - and her instincts were the only reason she was still alive - so she’d accepted their invitation to a Christmas dinner at a local diner. 

The woman in the cop uniform had mentioned something about learning her story through Bobby and a bottle of tequila, which made sense, as Bobby always got gossipy (or mean - usually both) when he was drunk.

The other woman had mentioned a son named Kevin. She’d heard talk through the grapevine of a prophet by that name, even considered going to try to find him (she thought her mother was probably looking down on her telling her if she couldn’t go to church, she could at least save a prophet), but he always seemed to be underground. The soft, sad way Linda spoke his name suggested he was now beyond any of their reach.

"I was going through Bobby’s numbers, just to see who still picked up the phone. You answered."

Tamara nodded, a little too sharply.

"And I’m sure he told you I had no one else. I bet he told you all about me."

Jody shook her head, an odd sight as her mouth was full of mashed potatoes.

"It’s not like that," she said after a heavy swallow. "It’s just…I lost my husband and…and my son. I know we’re not weeping widows or childless mothers, but…"

"On days like today…I never feel more alone," the other woman - Linda - added, with some hesitation. "I thought if we all sat down together, just to share a meal, Christmas wouldn’t seem as impossible to survive."

The word “survive” shook Tamara, as some days she’d barely managed to get through. She’d never fit in with her family, or the hunter community, or the world at large. Even with Isaac she’d sometimes felt like she was at her breaking point. Without him, she wasn’t even an object of pity. People saw her, they just sadly nodded their head if they learned her story - oh, of course her husband and daughter were dead. Why wouldn’t they be? They were statistics. And she was an afterthought. 

She refused to let anyone treat her that way. So almost no one knew about Isaac or their daughter.

Being around people who did nearly overwhelmed her. She knew she should be angry for assuming she’d want to spend a day with two strangers who even dared to believe they knew anything about her, but instead, she just felt a small sense of relief at, for a few hours, not having to hide her loss.

"If you have other plans with some hunters," the woman named Linda said as she put down her fork. "we can stop now."  
Tamara tried not to laugh, knowing that would be rude. “I’m invisible to them. Hell, I always was, but without Isaac, it’s a sure thing. When men lose their wives, it’s just another badge of honor. When women lose husbands…they’re supposed to be buried with ‘em.”

"I think that’s changing," Jody said, trying to help. "Or I hope it is. I’m not a hunter, but I run into more than a few, and things are changing."

Tamara shrugged. “I don’t know. Don’t really care either. I do my thing and they do theirs.”

It wasn’t quite that simple for Tamara, but she wasn’t going to take the risk of finding out. She knew a few hunters who were out there standing up for themselves and trying to make it their own, like Tracy Bell, but most hunters, she’d never trusted and wouldn’t know how to start.

The dinner continued through a helping of “the best peach pie in the county,” with Linda trying to ask her about the Veil, and Tamara saying some spirits still appeared, some had disappeared, and no one really knew what was going on.  
"Is your son…?"

"I don’t know," Linda said, solemnly, clearly trying her best not to let her emotions get the best of her. "I haven’t heard anything from him since July. July 23. If you ever see him…"

"I’ll tell you first thing," Tamara promised, grateful that her daughter had been able to have a peaceful passing, sickened that she even had to be grateful for such a thing.

Linda went to the restroom, leaving Jody and Tamara to try to make up awkward small talk.

Before they could start, Jody’s phone rang.

"Sorry, it’s my…" she started, her smile fading as she realized. "My daughter."

Tamara nodded a quiet assent, leaving her to the call. 

She went outside, looking for stars in the cold South Dakota night, wishing she still smoked. She needed one right now. It wasn’t that she was thinking of her daughter, it just…it wasn’t fair…

"Sorry," Jody said, making Tamara start. "She’s a girl I…sort of found on a case this past year. She can’t replace my son - no one can - but I love her like she’s my own. She is, really."

Tamara wondered if she could ever do that. Take that big of an emotional risk.

"Nothing to be sorry about. I’m glad you got another chance."

Both women knew it wasn’t that simple, but could think of nothing else to say.

"Thanks," Jody said, face plastered with a terse smile. "Guess this isn’t the best time to ask, but Linda wanted to know if…I mean next Christmas…"

Tamara thought about what her husband and daughter would have wanted. Or what she wanted.

"If I’m still around to pick up my phone, I’ll say yes."

Jody smiled again, a little more warmly this time.

"Merry Christmas."

Tamara smiled back, a little more warmly this time.

"Merry Christmas."


End file.
